This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for laying stranded rope-like material on a reel having a sleeve flanked by a pair of flanges.
In conventional stranding or winding machines, most of the necessary procedural steps are manually performed. The loading and unloading of the reels has been automated to enable the employment of female operators incapable of moving heavy loads. See, for example, East German Patent No. 79 237.
Inasmuch as a major portion of the procedural steps, such as the severing of a strand or wire extending from a full reel and the refastening of the free end portion of the severed strand to an empty reel, is manually performed, the reduction of the setting-up time attributable to the automation of the unloading and loading processes is small, particularly when the cost of automation is considered. The decrease of the setting-up time is also relatively small in conventional partially automated double-lay stranding machines which operate with enforced control over a limited program cycle.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and an improved apparatus of the above-described type.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus which operates fully automatically over extended periods of time, e.g., at least for the duration of a personnel shift.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus which operates fully automatically over an extended period of time without an appreciable change of the length of lay at a reel change and without excessive stretching of the strand of material.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a double-lay stranding machine suitable for an S- or Z-lay, which machine operates fully automatically over extended periods of time.
Another, particular, object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for winding a strand of material on a reel in such a manner that an inner end of the strand of material is accessible without an unwinding of the coiled strand.